A number of weeks in the past, I shared a brief video of me deadlifting in my house health club with my 3-year-old toddler subsequent to me, copying me along with his personal little barbell. It was a kind of candy moments I can’t assist however share—I simply love these bonding moments.
Quickly after, a mum or dad messaged me: “Is that really secure? I’ve at all times heard that weight coaching can stunt a toddler’s development.”
And you realize what? It’s a legitimate concern.
As a result of as mother and father, we would like our children to be lively and wholesome—however we additionally need them to be secure.
So let’s speak about that concern. The place it comes from, what the science truly says, and what to look out for in the case of resistance coaching for kids.
The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Development” Fantasy Come From?
In case you grew up listening to that lifting weights too early might “injury your bones” or “make you shorter,” you’re not alone. That perception has been round for some time.
However the place did it truly come from?
A part of it’s linked to the worry of injuring one thing referred to as the development plates—areas of creating cartilage close to the ends of youngsters’s bones, the place bone development occurs. So naturally, the concept of loading weight onto a rising skeleton raised issues.
Then there’s the picture of many Olympic weightlifters: brief, highly effective athletes who elevate huge hundreds. It’s straightforward to imagine the game made them that approach—however that’s not what occurred.
They’re brief as a result of that physique sort provides them a mechanical benefit within the sport. Not as a result of lifting stunted their development.
Enjoyable reality: The all-time world document holder in snatch and clear and jerk, Lasha Talakhadze, is a towering 6 ft 6 inches tall (197 cm).
The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what truly causes development points.
What the Science Truly Says About Power Coaching and Development
Let’s begin with the large one: No, lifting weights doesn’t stunt a toddler’s development.
The truth is, when achieved correctly, resistance coaching has no unfavorable impact on bone improvement. Quite the opposite, it might truly enhance bone density, coordination, and assist forestall damage.
Particularly as your little one will get older, combining resistance coaching with different sports activities can cut back their danger of damage.
Right here’s what the analysis reveals:
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A evaluation revealed in Pediatrics concluded there’s no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts development plates or linear development.
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The Nationwide Power and Conditioning Affiliation (NSCA) states that youth power coaching packages, when correctly supervised, are secure and useful.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics helps power coaching for kids, so long as the main focus is on method and never maximal weights.
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A research within the Journal of Power and Conditioning Analysis discovered that damage charges in youth weight coaching are considerably decrease than in lots of fashionable sports activities.
How Secure Is Youth Weight Coaching, Actually?
Let’s check out damage charges per 1,000 hours of participation throughout completely different sports activities:
| Exercise | Harm Charge |
| Supervised Weight Coaching | ~0.7 accidents |
| Gymnastics | 0.5 – 1.3 accidents |
| Soccer (Coaching) | 3.7 – 11.1 accidents |
| Soccer (Video games) | 9.5 – 48.7 accidents |
| Basketball | 14 – 22 accidents |
| American Soccer | 5.7 – 6.8 accidents |
Seems, resistance coaching is likely one of the most secure bodily actions your little one can do—when achieved proper.
When Weight Coaching Can Be a Concern for Children
So now that we’ve busted the parable, let’s speak about when weight coaching truly can be dangerous for youths.
Like something, it is dependent upon the way it’s achieved.
Weight coaching turns into an issue when:
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Children elevate weights unsupervised
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Nobody checks their type or method
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They’re pushed to elevate too heavy, too quickly
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Tools isn’t suited to their dimension
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There’s no development or enough restoration
However let’s be sincere—that’s not simply true for youths. That’s how adults get injured too. It appears lifting weights safely isn’t about age—it’s about how we prepare.
Tips on how to Make Power Coaching Secure for Children
Right here’s find out how to maintain it secure, good, and useful:
✅ Supervision by somebody educated in power coaching methods and progressions
✅ Deal with method—not the quantity of weight
✅ Age-appropriate programming with correct relaxation
✅ Tools that matches their physique
✅ Maintain it enjoyable, skill-based, and fascinating—particularly for youthful children
When these issues are in place, lifting weights turns into not simply secure—it turns into a basis for future motion expertise and lifelong physique consciousness.
Why This Issues So A lot for Dad and mom
As a result of all of us need our children to be robust, lively, and assured. However we additionally wish to shield them.
As a substitute of avoiding power coaching or creating worry round it, let’s educate them to do it proper.
As a result of when it’s achieved proper, power coaching doesn’t simply construct muscle. It builds resilience, confidence, and lifelong wholesome habits.
And that’s one thing price lifting for. Wouldn’t you agree? —Marlene
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3483033/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3418954/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0949328X20301903
